Action First (ft. Jaime Blaustein)

Action First (ft. Jaime Blaustein)

Discover one man’s journey from addict to entrepreneur

OPENING QUOTE:

“I think surrender has negative connotations, but it's really that you win by waving the white flag sometimes and surrendering. And on the heels of that surrender, another principle really early on, those early days of sobriety eight and a half years ago, was act your way into right thinking, don't think your way into right acting.”

—Jaime Blaustein

GUEST BIO:

Jaime Blaustein is Co-Founder and CEO of the Sylvia Brafman Mental Health Center. After battling addiction for several years in his late teens-early twenties, Jaime is now leading a team of health professionals helping others through their tough times. After recovering, Jaime gained his MBA, worked as a mutual fund manager at Wells Fargo and Lord Abbett, then became an investment banker at Credit Suisse in its Global Industrials Coverage Group in New York. Here he was responsible for advising clients in the basic material sector on strategic matters, including mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, leveraged buyouts, restructurings, and various debt and equity financings. But in September 2021, Jaime decided to give up his investment banking career to found the center for those with mental health challenges seeking support.

CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:

[12:24] When Constructive Turns Destructive

Moderation’s essential role

While Jaime once battled with obviously destructive substances and habits, even positive habits can turn destructive if taken to extreme. He uses the example of exercise. An hour a day of exercise is obviously beneficial for physical and mental health. Six hours a day at the detriment of your family life, career, and social life represents a potential addiction.

[15:12] Take Action on the Mindset Will Follow

Inspiration is an effect, not a cause

We’re always told that by shifting our mindset, we’ll inspire change in our actions. But Jaime suggests that the opposite is often more powerful— when we begin acting in a way that’s representative of what we hope to believe, our mindset follows. Don’t wait for inspiration before acting. Let your actions inspire your thoughts.

[18:58] Empathy & Accountability

A delicate balance all leaders must strike

In recovery, Jaime learned the importance of personal accountability— and accountability to others. In his career, he balances the two as a leader. The people around him know that he will always expect a great deal from them— but will always balance those expectations with genuine empathy and understanding.

[37:42] Turning Fear Into Excitement

Turn the unknown into your greatest motivator

Fear of the unknown can cripple us. Alternatively, we can look toward the unknown future with a sense of thrilling excitement. Anything is possible, and adopting this mindset can help us escape the anxiety that comes with trying to predict an uncertain future. Then we’re empowered to go out and make that future for ourselves.

[43:45] What Recovery and Leadership Have in Common

Holding yourself and others accountable matters

We’re taught to give ourselves the space to make mistakes, and that’s an essential part of both life and leadership. But it’s also critical to be frank and honest with yourself and others about where you may be falling short— and take steps to get yourself back on track. That’s how we improve, day in and day out.

RESOURCES:

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ABOUT PERSPECTIVES FROM THE TOP:

Discover the secrets of success for you and your organization shared by the world’s leading thinkers, doers, and trailblazers. Join Chris Roebuck, Honorary Visiting Professor of transformational leadership, leader in military, business, and government, inspiring global keynote speaker, one of HR’s Most Influential Thinkers, bestselling author, and your host of Perspectives from the Top. The show reveals a treasure trove of insights from mega trends to practical strategies and actions to take your career up a gear. From government world shapers and business mold breakers to evidence driven academics and enthusiastic entrepreneurs, each episode shows you how you can immediately use these new ideas and actions to drive your success.

Learn more at: PerspectivesFromTheTop.com

ABOUT DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:

In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.

As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. 

Here’s to making (podcast) history together.

Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.com

ABOUT THE HOST:

Chris has shown over 21,000 leaders in over 1500 organizations globally how they can discover their secrets of success in a way that meets and beats their organizations specific challenges.

Chris has done this across sector, culture and geography - UBS, HSBC, KPMG & London Underground, legal firms to construction, tech and IT, to retail, facilities to scientific research, police to not for profit, pharmaceutical to SMEs. From the UK National Health Service of 1.4m staff and UK Government to the Red Cross in Myanmar, from Investment banks in London to Middle East Telecoms, from the Chinese Space Program leaders to HR Directors in India and global retail CEOs in Rome.

When he was the Global Head of Leadership at UBS, overseeing a staff of 70,000 across 100 countries, his team helped the bank transform organizational performance to increase profitability by 235%, market capitalization by 50% and win numerous awards. This is now a Harvard Case Study.

Chris has been quoted as a business leadership expert globally in the Harvard Business Review China, FT, Wall Street Journal, Le Monde, New York Times, Business Week, Time Magazine, Washington Post, Times of India, Straits & Gulf Times and many others. He judges business awards and has done over 350 TV interviews on leadership and business on BBC, Sky, Bloomberg, Al Jazeera, CNBC & CNN. He’s also skied at 60mph by accident. 

Learn more about Chris at: ChrisRoebuck.Live

 CREDITS: